Self-Deception Liable to Prove Permanent.
By Helfenstein
"THEY hold fast deceit, they refuse to return." This solemn charge was brought against professors of religion. Notwithstanding the variety of means which had been employed to convince them of their danger and lead them to repentance, they continued to cleave to their delusions and proved utterly incorrigible. There is an awful probability that the deceived professor of religion will remain deceived until probation closes, and all opportunity of salvation ceases for ever. All things, indeed, are possible with God. He can work when, where, and upon whom he pleases. So far, however, as we are acquainted with the operations of his grace, they are but seldom extended to those who have taken up with a false profession and hope. The Scriptures speak of the conversion of thousands, but I do not recollect that they speak of the conversion of one, in the Christian church, who had been deceived with a spurious piety. "I believe," says Dr. Griffin, "there is no instance recorded in the Bible of a sinner's being rescued from a false hope unless it was founded in the belief of a false religion. In the short period which I have had to make my observations, I recollect very few instances of persons apparently renewed after they had settled down for years upon a false hope and with that hope had joined the church. Indeed, I remember but one. We read of tares, we read of foolish virgins, but we never read of their conversion." Speaking of those who imagine themselves to be converted when they are not, President Edwards remarks that he had "scarcely known the instance of such an one in his life that had been undeceived." The confident hope of the hypocrite, he says, is "in one sense much more immovable than truly gracious assurance." The conversion of a false professor can be effected only by destroying his present confidence; but how reluctantly does he yield that confidence, especially where it has been long cherished and strengthened. In times of special revival, when God "searches Jerusalem with candles," "sinners in Zion" often become afraid; but in the ordinary state of feeling which prevails in the church, there is but little probability that they will renounce their hopes and become the subjects of renewing grace. 1. The manner in which the Scriptures speak of the sense of security created by a false hope, is full of instruction and warning. "What," says Job, "is the hope of the hypocrite though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul?" Job xxvii, 8. Here the hypocrite's hope is represented as continuing until death. The Scriptures speak of such as flatter themselves in their own eyes until their iniquity be found to be hateful—hateful either in their conversion or perdition. Psalm xxxvi, 2. They moreover teach us that men may continue the cry, "Peace and safety, until sudden destruction come upon them." 1 Thess. v, 3. Those who built on the sand are described as secure until "the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew," and their edifice was utterly demolished. Matt. vii, 27. The foolish virgins appeared as well satisfied with their condition as the wise. 2. Another consideration which renders it probable that deceived professors will remain deceived, is the fact that their morality blinds them to their condition. No evangelical church can tolerate immorality in their members. As a moral life is indispensable to their admission, so it is also requisite to their continuance. When churches become so corrupt as knowingly to receive and retain in fellowship those whose conduct is openly vicious, they can hardly be acknowledged as churches of Christ. Now, the fact that professors of religion are usually distinguished for the correctness of their conduct, presents a strong reason why those who are deceived may remain under that deception. Press upon the profligate the claims of the Gospel, and he will, perhaps, admit that he is not what he ought to be; but speak to an unconverted church member on the subject, and he can effectually fortify himself against your appeals, by reference to his exemplary deportment. The power of this delusion is usually strengthened where the individual once led an abandoned life and afterwards became reformed. How easy is it to mistake a change of conduct for a change of character! How prone are we to suppose that because we have lopped off some of the branches, we have struck at the root itself! 3. Again, their connection with the visible church tends also to promote the confidence of the deceived. Previous to this connection, regarding themselves as yet "of the world," they may have often felt seriously alarmed. They saw others approaching the sacramental supper while they were excluded, and the apprehension would sometimes arise that they might never sit down at "the marriage supper of the Lamb;" but their names are now enrolled among the people of God, and it is assumed that those names must be recorded in the "book of life." They have fled to the temple and grasped the horns of the altar, and feel themselves consequently to be secure. The shield of their profession effectually wards off every arrow of conviction. The shafts of divine justice fall harmless at their feet. Others may writhe under the power of truth, but they are invulnerable. "The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord," say they, "are we." 4. Their observance of the external duties of religion increases their sense of security. Perhaps they are distinguished not only for their regular appearance in meeting on the Sabbath, but also for their attendance at the lecture and prayer-meeting during the week. It is possible, too, that they may have established an altar in their families, and may maintain a form of devotion in the closet. They may also be among the first to patronize the benevolent objects of the day, and to take an active part in every thing pertaining to the external prosperity of the church. Now the tendency of all these observances, where there is a destitution of love to God or true piety, is to quiet conscience and fill the mind with self-complacency. When a man engages in such things with a proper spirit, his moral sensibility, instead of being diminished, is increased; but where they are attended to with a different spirit, they usually result in increased hardness of heart, and become as opiates to the soul. The sin of thus trifling with sacred truths and duties, is one of peculiar aggravation, and on that account is visited with spiritual judgments. "Be not mockers," says God, "lest your bands be made strong." The more an unregenerate professor is put forward in the affairs of the church, the more familiar he becomes with divine truth, and the more he abounds in external observances, the more, not unfrequently, is his danger enhanced, and the difficulties in the way of his conversion multiplied. 5. The similarity between true and false experience is another circumstance by which a delusive hope is strengthened. A christian relates the dealings of God with his soul. He speaks of his sense of sin, and his desert of condemnation. He speaks of the anguish which took hold on his spirit when the law laid upon him its claims, and thundered against him its anathemas. He speaks of his peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. A false convert, in listening to the relation, imagines that he discovers a similarity between his own exercises and those of the believer. He, too, has been the subject of fear and of hope, of sorrow, and of joy. He, too, has trembled in view of the coming wrath, and as he supposes, fled to Christ as his refuge. There is not a single exercise of grace which may not have its counterfeit. Men will speak in affecting terms of the delusion of the moralist and the Pharisee, and dream not of danger in their own case. They count themselves the friends of vital piety, and the subjects of evangelical experience; and should their neglect of duty or their want of devotedness to Christ excite suspicion that all is not right, reference to the circumstances of their supposed conversion will remove their apprehensions and restore their wonted confidence. To doubt the genuineness of their conversion is to think an act of unbelief no less dishonorable to God than injurious to themselves. 6. The favorable opinion which others entertain of their piety also promotes their security. 154Though "dead in trespasses and sins," they have "a name to live." Their standing in the church is good and regular. They are regarded as christians and treated as such. Perhaps their experience is not only judged to be satisfactory, but striking, and their charitable contributions and labors may be referred to as examples worthy of imitation. Why then should they doubt? Would they be regarded as christians by men of such wisdom and piety, if they had no claim to the christian character? 7. Farther—they see others in the church live just as they live. Should their inconsistencies occasionally lead them to doubt their conversion, they find others whose conduct is in accordance with their own or whose piety is even far more dubious. "All," say they, "have their imperfections, and we have ours. The best men are but men at best—let him who is without sin cast the first stone." They are most keen to discern the christian's blemishes, but alas, they entirely overlook his humiliation! 8. Perhaps they have also seen some who lived as they live, die at last in peace. The hopes of the self-deceived, as we have already remarked, often remain firm even in death. Their end is calm and peaceful, and their character after their decease becomes the subject of unqualified eulogy. "But if those who exhibited so little evidence of piety," reasons the deceived professor, "can die thus, why then should I give myself any uneasiness? Could there be such peace where there is no piety? Could death have so little terror and be welcomed even with joy?" 9. A false hope meets with no disturbance from the adversary. Why should he disturb it? It is the most effectual means of accomplishing his designs. The true christian he will molest. If he cannot destroy his soul, he will, if possible, impair his confidence and harass his mind with fear. But the false professor has already fallen into the "snare of the devil," and it must be the policy of the great enemy to maintain that sense of security already inspired. "When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace." Luke xi, 21. 10. There is also a want of faithfulness in professors of religion toward each other. We would by no means encourage a spirit of censoriousness. "Charity thinketh no evil." It never imputes evil where no evil appears, but rather inclines us to put the most favorable construction upon the conduct of our fellow-beings. Still, charity is neither blind nor indifferent. It watches with the same solicitude over the interests of others as over our own. "In meekness," says the Apostle, "instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will." 2 Tim. ii, 25, 26. "Brethren if any of you do err from the truth and one convert him, let him know that he which converts the sinner from the error of his way, shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins." James v, 19, 20. Yet how sadly is this duty neglected! How often do we entertain serious doubts of the piety of those with whom we are conversant, while we have not the benevolence to express to them our fears, or to put forth any effort for their conversion! We make our remarks about their cases to others, but have no courage to speak to the individuals themselves. The tendency of this neglect is to render the confidence of the unrenewed professor more confirmed. It is indirectly, at least, healing the hurt slightly, crying peace, peace, where there is no peace. 11. The fact that so many means have already been employed, without success, to destroy the hopes of the deceived, renders it highly probable that those hopes will be cherished to the last. Think of the warnings addressed to them from the Bible—think of the appeals made to them from the pulpit—think of the kind and repeated wooings of the Spirit—think of the solemn scenes of religious interest through which they have been permitted to pass, and yet all has failed to produce any salutary impression. Truth in all its light and power has been presented; the nature of regeneration has been clearly described; and they have been urged, with melting tenderness, to "give all diligence to make their calling and election sure," still "they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return." The hopes of others, once in the same state of deception with themselves, have been shaken and abandoned, but their hearts have remained unmoved, their security and peace undisturbed.—Helfenstein.